Operation Crossbow AK47 AAR

I'm in danger of confusing two alternative timelines as I have a Soviet invasion of Western Europe underway in 1981 using SPI's boardgame NATO as well my continuing Angolan Border War narrative that's reached the slightly earlier date of March 1979.

Readers will recall from earlier posts that the South Africans have launched a major external, codenamed CROSSBOW, into Angola to try and destroy SWAPO camps there. We've already played one table top battle using AK47 Reloaded rules and last night we fought our second.

The situation was that a SADF mobile column was trying to seize a vital river crossing. A detachment from 32 Battalion, mounted in Landrover Technicals, spearheaded the advance supported by Eland Armoured Cars and Mechanised infantry from 62 Mech Battalion.

Above: SADF armoured cars storm into an Angolan village, at the top pf the picture FAPLA T-34s have just arrived

East German piloted MiGs attack the South African Armour

The Angolans were quick to react, deploying armour, in the shape of T-34 tanks and BRDM armoured cars crewed by Cubans, as well as a unit of Cuban motorised infantry. Two units of FAPLA militia were also part of the defending force.

This was dubbed a 'hot incursion' using the AK47 rules, and the SADF launched a feint against the objective in the village with their armoured cars before shifting the attack to the right flank against a hill held by a dug in unit of FAPLA militia.

The Angolans made the most of their assets, bringing on an armoured unit which was promptly the target of an SADF airstike. At the same time 32 Battalion's technicals entered the table behind the Angolan armour - a bold move but one that ultimately led to the liquidation of the South African unit as the Angolan tanks survived the airstrike and shot up the landrovers.

This was to prove the decisive episode in a close game - an Angolan airstrike against the SADF armoured cars knocked out one of them but couldn't stop the remainder shooting up the objective as the SADF infantry moved in. Alas for the Army of Apratheid, the game ended before they could secure the objective and once the points were totted up it was a clear Angolan victory!

SACEUR Communication 5 May 1981

Full credit to Stopping the Red Tide blog from where I adapted this www.stoppingtheredtide.blogspot.com

011000Z5MAY81

/FROM: SACEUR

/TO: ALL DIVCOM

/INFO: FULL

/SIC: AAB

/SUBJECT: HOSTILITIES COMMENCED/

A/ SITREP/ WARPAC FORCES HAVE COMMENCED FULL HOSTILITIES AGAINST NORTHAG/ CENTAG/ NATO AIR FORCES/ NATO NAVAL ASSETS AT SEA GLOBALLY//

B/ MISSION STATEMENT/THE NEUTRALISATION OF ALL WARPAC LAND/AIR/NAVAL FORCES//

C/INTEL/C1/CENTAG PENETRATION CONSIDERABLE/ GSFC ADVANCING ON NUREMBURG MLA OBJ DANUBE CROSSING// CENTAG ASSAULTED BY 8GA MLA INDICATES OBJ FKFT/ 11ACR REARGUARD HOLDING FLDA GAP// SITUATION FLUID HQS NEUTRALISED ACROSS REGION C2 NOW COMPROMISED//EN EXPECTED TO BYPASS AREAS OF RESISTANCE TO ADVANCE ON OBJ/US AND BUND CORPS TO REINFORCE AOR BY 1200.//

C2/. BAOR/ NETH AND BUND UNITS ADVANCING 1200Z IOT CONTACT EN ACROSS ENTIRE NORTHAG AOR EN ADVANCING ON HMBG AND HNVR IN STRENGTH// OBJ BREMEN EN TO BYPASS AREAS OF RESISTANCE CONTINUING RAPIDLY ON OBJ//

C3/A2/ WARPAC AF OBJ/ ERADICATION OF NATO CAS ASSETS/ CONTINUING STRIKES ON NATO AIRBASES/ NEUTRALISATION OF NATO AIR ASSETS/ TO AID GROUND ASSAULT//

C4/N2/ WARPAC NF OBJ/ NEUTRALISATION OF NATO SSBN SSN FLEETS/ INTERDICTING ROLLOVER CNVY OPS/ DENIAL SLOC TO NATO/ EXPECT SIGNIFICANT BLACKJACK AND BACKFIRE ASM RAIDS IN NATLANT//

C5/A3/ PRIORITY AIR SUPERIORITY/ SECONDARY CAS/. SORTIE RATE BELOW 50% NBC PRECAUTIONS HAMPERING SORITE GENERATION RATES OC PROVIDING 100% SORTIE GENERATION WITH EXTENDED FLYING HOURS/ ALL OTHER A/C 90% OC//
D/ NIL//

E/LAND OPS/ ALL UNITS TO PROCEED IN ACCORDANCE WITH OPERATION THERMOPYLAE. EN CHEMICAL WEAPONS NOT EMPLOYED//  NATO AIRBASES/ HQ/ REAR ECHELON FORMATIONS AND SECONDARY TARGETS IN THE CENTAG AOR STRICT NBC PROTOCOL AT ALL TIMES TO MAINTAIN OC// BATTLEFIELD RECOVERY OF ARMOR IS TO BE SECOND PRIORITY IF UNACHIEVABLE DESTRUCTION IS TO BE CONDUCTED WITHOUT HESITATION. DENYING ENEMY ACCESS TO STOCKS OF POL/ VEHICLES / SUPPLY IS TO BE TIERTIARY PRIORITY// INITIATIVE IS TO BE TAKEN AT EVERY OPPORTUNNITY//UNITS WILL BECOME DISORIENTATED AND SCATTERED BY EN ACTION ALL UNITS MUST BE TAKEN UNDER LOCAL COMMAND. COMMANDERS MUST USE ASSETS AT THEIR DISPOSAL EVEN OUTSIDE OF NORMAL DOCTRINAL OR SOPS TO PRESERVE DISCIPLINE/ MANPOWER /MATERIAL//

E1/NAVAL OPS/ ALL UNITS TO PROCEED IAW SACLANT STANDING ORDERS//

E2/AIR OPS/ ALL UNITS TO PROCEED IAW NATOAC STANDING ORDERS//

F/SACEUR DIV ORDERS//

F1/ALL COMMANDS TO FOLLOW OP ORDERS EXCEPTIONS F3 THROUGH F8 APPLY//

F3/CAN DIV CHOP OPCON NORTHAG IMMEDIATELY AS AOR RESERVE//

F4/BEL AND NDLS DIVS TO FORM OPERATIONAL RESERVE TO BE HELD IAW STANDING OPORDER 176 AT IMMEDIATE NOTICE TO MOVE//

F5/AIRBRIDGE AND OPERATION ROLLOVER ENACTED US FORCES ACTIVATED EXPECTED REINFORCEMENTS IN CORPS STRENGTH TO ENTER AOR NLT070008MAY81//

F6/DAN DIV TO PREPARE TO HOLD POSITIONS N OF HMBG AWAIT REINFORCEMENT BY AFNORTH //

F7/ ALL RESERVE UNITS TO BE ACTIVATED IAW NATO OPORDER 47//

F8/ FRCH FORCES TO BE EXTENDED FULL OPSEC INTEGRATION WITH ALL STAFFS AT ALL LEVELS//

G/BDA/ INITIAL BATTLE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT UNAVAILABLE ASSREP TO FOLLOW//

G1/ LAND/ UNCONFIRMED//

G2/NAVAL/ UNCONFIRMED//

G3/AIR/ UNCONFIRMED//

H/EN BDA/ BDA//

H1/ LAND// UNCONFIRMED//

H2/NAVAL BDA CONFIRMED/READ IN 4 COLUMNS/NUMBER/CLASS/TYPE/STATUS/1/OSCAR/SSBN/SUNK/ 1/ALPHA/SSN/SUNK/ 3/KILO/SSK/SUNK/ 1/UDALOY/DDG/SUNK//

H3/AIR BDA CONFIRMED/READ IN 4 COLUMNS/NUMBER/CLASS/TYPE/STATUS 16/FISHBED/FI/DESTROYED/14/FLOGGER/FBA/DESTROYED/5/HIND/ACH/DESTROYED/

J/ NIL//

K/ NIL//

L/ LOGISITICS IAW OPODERS/LOGREP AS REQUIRED//

M/ COMMUNICATIONS TO PROCEED IAW COMMPLAN A6//

N/ JAMMING PROTOCOLS B23 – C17 INEFFECT//

O/ PRESERVATION OF CIVLIAN LIFE TO BE PRIORITY WHERE POSSIBLE/ASSISTANCE TO CIVIL POPULOUS ACCEPTABLE IF PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES NOT COMPROMISED/ COMBAT FUNCTIONS ARE PRIORITY//

O1/ AUTOBAHN SYSTEM NOW IN NATO CONTROL/ POL NOW REFUSED TO CIVIL POPULATION /REFUGEES ARE TO BE KEPT OFF ROADS/ LACK OF FUEL WILL FORCE REFUGEES TO MOVE BY FOOT//

P/ PRESERVATION OF CIVILIAN PROPERTY SUBSERVIENT TO DEFENSIVE OPERATIONS/ COMPENSATION TO BE CLAIMED IAW NATO PROCEDURES POST HOSTILITIES//

Q/ WAR MATERIAL POL/MEDICAL/VICTUALS IS NOT TO BEGIVEN TO CIVIL POPULATION//

R/ ROE/ FULL ROE IS IN FORCE/ RELAXATION R1//

R1/ RESTRAINT OF ROE IF CIVILIANS USED AS HUMAN SHIELDS FOR WARPAC FORCES IS TO BE DISREGARDED/ EXPLOITATION OF CIVIL POPULATION NOT TO BE ALLOWED TO INTEREFERE WITH OPERATIONS/ INCIDENTS TO BE DOCUMENTED FOR WARCRIMES AGAINST WARPAC FORCES POST HOSTILITIES//

S/ NIL//

T/ NIL//

U/ GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION/ NO COMMS WITH WARPAC NATIONS ALL DIPLOMATIC LINKS SEVERED/ ALL NATO AMBASSADORS ARRESTED/ US EMBASSY MOSCOW RANSACKED ALL US STAFF MISSING//

U1/ UN SECURITY COUNCIL NOW DECLARED INVIOLABLE BY US/UK/FR//

U2/ UN APPEALING FOR CALM AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE/ NATO LEADERS UNIANIMOUSLY PASSED VOTE ON ARTICLE 5 NATO TREATY AT 011030ZFEB86//

U3/ NATO LEADERS UNIANIMOUSLY PASSED VOTE OFFERING FRANCE IMMEDIATE FULL MEMBERSHIP OF THE NATO ALLIANCE/ FRCH PRESIDENT HAS ENACTED EMERGENCY POWERS AT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY VOTE TO BE HELD EXPECTED TO PASS WITH FRCH FORCES COMING UNDER NATO COMMAND AT 020001ZFEB86//

U4/ AUSTRIAN FORCES NOW DEFACTO EMERGENCY NATO MEMBERS BY REQUEST NOW FALL UNDER CENTAG AOR//

U4/ WARPAC DECLARED WESTERN AGGRESSION DISGUISED AS FIELD EXERCISE AND PREPARATION FOR NATO INVASION OF WARPAC ENTITLES THEM TO PRE-EMPTIVE SELF DEFENCE//

V/SECURITY/ WIDESPREAD SECURITY BREACHES AT ALL LEVELS WITHIN NATO REQUIRE DRACONIAN ACTION/ NATO SECURITY AGENCIES NOW ACTING TO DETAIN ANY PERSONEL WITH LINKS TO WARPAC OR WITH EXTREME POLITICAL VIEWS/ HABUS CORPUS IS HEREBY SUSPENDED IN NATO ADMINISTRATED AREAS//

V1/ ALL PERSONNEL IN ALL AREAS ARE TO BE ARMED AT ALL TIMES REGARDLESS OF LOCATION//

V2/FRG NOW IN DEFACTO STATE OF EMERGENCY AND MARTIAL LAW DECLARED/ POWER NETWORK HAS BEEN PARTIALLY DISABLED/ SEVERE DAMAGE TO CNI AND GVRT FACILITIES/ KEY GVRT PERSONNEL ASSASSINATED//

V3/ANY PERSON INTEREFERING WITH THE CONDUCT OF OPERATIONS IN THE DEFENCE OF FRG IS TO BE CONSIDERED A HOSTILE ACT USE OF DEADLY FORCE AUTHORISED//

V4/ FIFTH COLUMN/ INFILTRATION/ INSURECTION ACTIONS REQUIRE THAT BATTLEFIELD PROVOST SUMMARY EXECUTION PROCEDURES ARE NOW IN FORCE IAW NATO OPORDER 145//

V5/ ALL GUARDS ARE TO BE RUTHLESS IN EXECUTION OF DUTY AND ARE NOT TO RECOGNISE ANY RANK UNTIL FORMALLY IDENTIFIED/ ANY PERSON REFUSING TO COOPERATE IS TO BE CONSIDERED HOSTILE USE OF DEADLY FORCE AUTHORISED//

W/ DELEGATED RELEASE OF BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS IS NOT AUTHORISED//

X/ DELEGATED RELEASE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS IS NOT AUTHORISED //

Y/ DELEGATED RELEASE OF TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS IS NOT AUTHORISED//

Y1/ DELEGATED RELEASE OF STRATEGIC NUCLEAR WEAPONS WITHHELD AT NATIONAL AUTHORITY LEVEL//

Z/ SACEUR ACTUAL/ TODAY THE WESTERN WORLD AND WESTERN WAY OF LIFE HAS BEEN ASSAULTED BY A LONG KNOWN THREAT WHICH SEEKS NOTHING BUT THE ERADICATION OF FREE DEMOCRATIC AND PEACEFUL PEOPLES ALL OVER THE GLOBE. IT FALLS UPON THE SHOULDERS OF EVERY MEMBER OF THE NATO ALLIANCE, THE MOST POWERFUL MILITARY ALLIANCE IN HISTORY TO ACT AS BOTH THE SWORD AND SHIELD OF OUR PEOPLE. DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND TERRIBLE EVENTS WILL EMBROIL THE CIVIL POPULATION WHICH YOU MUST IGNORE AS THE SOVIETS WILL ATTEMPT TO USE THE CIVIL POPULOUS AGAINST US. THEIR EVIL ACTS WILL BE PAID FOR WHEN WE WIN THIS CONFLICT. BE UNDER NO ILLUSION THERE WILL BE NO QUARTER NO MERCY AND NO RESPITE UNTIL THE WARPAC FORCES ARE UTTERLY DESTROYED. THINK OF YOUR FAMILIES YOUR HOMES YOUR COMMUNITIES THEN PREPARE TO GIVE YOUR ALL TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE EVIL IN THE EAST. COMMIT YOURSELVES COMPLETELY TO BRING ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF SOVIET SOCIALISM. I SAY TO EVERY RANK UNDER MY COMMAND THIS IS THE EVENT YOU HAVE TRAINED LONG AND HARD FOR. YOU HAVE THE BEST EQUIPMENT, TRAINING AND LEADERSHIP. YOU HAVE MY EVERY CONFIDENCE AND MY UNWAVERING SUPPORT IN THIS VITAL ENDEAVOUR//GENERAL GEORGE W MILLER//

BT

RRRR

4th May 1981 Inner German Border

'Ural One this is Lagoda Six, have visual contact with NATO armour at 465840'

'Lagoda Six, strength? Over'

'Company strength, mixed tanks and personnel carriers, Leopards and M113s, half a dozen tanks, over'

'Lagoda Six, what's their posture?'

'Advancing by bounds comrade'

'Lagoda Six, if they close to within 1000 metres open fire,

'Comrade Colonel...er...please can you repeat that?'

'Lagoda Six, stick to radio procedure! If they close to 1000 metres open fire, is that clear?'

'Affirmative, Ural One, over and out'

3rd May 1981 West Germany

The Federal Republic of Germany mobilises its armed forces as disturbances continue in East Germany. Intelligence sources indicate that up to six Soviet divisions are occupied in suppressing uprisings in East Berlin and Leipzig.

The US, Dutch, British and Canadian forces stationed in West Germany are also mobilising. Belgium has declared it will not participate in any such manoeuvres for fear they will be deemed 'provocative' by the Soviet Union. France's position is yet to be made clear but all leave has been cancelled in the French armed forces.

There is a marked increase in Soviet naval activity in the Baltic, North Atlantic and Mediterranean. There are reports of widespread Soviet troop movements in Czechoslovakia and Poland.

'We interrupt this programme...' 1 May 1981

'Reports are being received form West Berlin of an outbreak of violence in the Communist Eastern part of the city. The traditional May Day military parade was called off earlier today after rioting broke out in the East German Capital.'

'Details are sketchy but all border crossings into East Germany have been closed and residents in West Berlin say they can hear gunfire across the wall that separates the city.'

'Sources at NATO headquarters in Brussels say that they have indications that all leave has been cancelled for Soviet troops stationed in East Germany and that Soviet armoured formations have left their barracks and are on the move.'

'It is unclear whether Soviet troops are being used against civilians. One West German citizen who was amongst the last to leave East Berlin before the border was shut says he had travelled from Leipzig to Berlin before crossing to the West at Checkpoint Charlie' and there were 'disturbances' in both cities.'

'Allied soldiers in West Berlin have been put on alert. East German border guards are very much in evidence on the Berlin Wall in 'higher than usual numbers''.

NATO SPI Board Game

I first owned this as a callow youth and, after reading Ralph Peter's 'Red Army' and re-reading Hackett's 'The Third World War' I had a look around and bought a copy from http://www.sircollectalot.co.uk/. I was very impressed with their service - the package arrived in New Zealand from the UK within a week.

Detail of the Game Map

The game purports to simulate operational combat in 'Europe in the '70s', and, this being the '70s, that means a Warsaw Pact attack on West Germany.

After a look at Boardgamegeek I found a couple of files that I thought would add to the game's appeal. One for some very simple, and abstract, rules to simulate airpower, and another that provided counters and a revised order of battle to represent the opposing forces in the late '70s and early '80s. Of course, I also discovered that Decision Games had released a revised and updated version a few years ago called 'Group of Soviet Forces Germany' with, amongst other things, rules for air power...hmm

Anyway, sticking with NATO, I may tweak the air support rules a bit further to allow attacks on units not engaged in ground combat i.e. supply units and follow on forces in keeping with the air-land battle doctrine. I've stuck to the revised order of battle but may change the rules around political reliability to reflect my prejudices and the wisdom of hindsight.

In the original rules the East Germans are seen as one of the least 'reliable' of Soviet allies with a 50% chance they will be 'unreliable' and either proclaim they will only fight in 'self defence', or opt for neutrality or even stage an all out rebellion. Only the Czechs are as shaky.The other Eastern Bloc states have reduced but varying degrees of reliability.

My assessment is that the Poles would have been most likely state to go dog on the Soviets in 1979-1985 and the East Germans would have remained loyal, so I'm going to amend the rules to reflect that.I think the Czechs would have been most likely to opt for neutrality or 'self defence' but highly unlikely to rebel given their experience in 1968.

As for NATO, I'm going to go with the French having a 50% chance of opting for neutrality, given the strength of the Communist Party and the nature of French domestic politics. I'm also going to give the Italians only a 1 in 6 chance of not being neutral as I believe it was highly likely the Italian government would have immediately collapsed in the event of hostilities.

I've also been musing over the political and military impact of crossing the nuclear threshold. As I see it, there would have been a strong chance that West Germany would have sued for peace if it looked likely NATO was about to initiate tactical nuclear warfare, given it was their soil on which these weapons would be deployed. This is pretty much the scenario Peter's outlines in 'Red Army'. So, if NATO decides to go nuclear I'm having them roll a die with a 50% chance that alliance collapses at that point resulting in an overwhelming Warsaw Pact victory.

If tactical nukes are used I also want to simulate the likelihood of the war escalating into a strategic nuclear holocaust as I believe that once the nuclear threshold was crossed there was a strong possibility of this. So, once nuclear weapons are used I'll roll a die in that turn and every subsequent turn and if it's a 1...then I'll metaphorically follow the design notes' instructions and soak the map in lighter fuel and light a match. In other words, game over, everybody loses.

One matter I've not decided upon is the 'accidental' or unauthorised use of nukes and the flow on effect of that. At this stage I'm unsure how to simulate it so may simply ignore it but if anyone has any ideas I'd be keen to hear them as I think if war had occurred this would have been the most likely way we would have ended up going nuclear.

Then there is weather and chemical warfare. Both are ignored or 'factored in', depending on how you look at it, in the original rules. I believe bad weather i.e. winter would have advantaged the Soviets in combat but would have slowed everyone down. So I'm thinking of shifting the odds one column in the Soviets' favour if it's a winter campaign but introducing a + 1 movement point penalty and reducing the likelihood of air strikes and airmobility. My reading of the impact of chemical warfare is that it would have slowed everything down, so perhaps reducing the movement allowance of every unit by 1 if either player declares that they're using gas? I'd assume that once one side used chemical weapons then the genie would be well and truly out of the bottle and everyone would be using them and/or taking the precautions that slowed things down.

One last factor I've not made my mind up about is refugees. I think that in the event of an invasion of West Germany NATO would have faced a massive problem with refugee traffic blocking roads and was going to reflect this with a movement penalty to NATO units in the first week of the war. Any thoughts readers may have are warmly welcomed.

Ngiva AAR

 15 km inside Angola across the South West African Border there is a road junction. In March 1979 this was the place where the front in the war between South Africa and Angola was formed. The South African 62 Mechanised Battalion, the spearhead of Operation CROSSBOW found themselves attacked by elements of the Angolan 11th Motor Rifle Brigade. In the picture above the South Africans will try to secure the junction and the surrounding high ground - three gentle rises that barely qualify as hills.

Left: A South African  command element is trying to consolidate atop a low ridge south of the road. A knocked out Angolan T-34 is on the skyline and Angolan Air Force MiG 21s are being used in the fighter bomber role against the SADF troops.

Despite being caught in the open by the MiGs the South Africans managed to avoid suffering serious losses and successfully dug in on the hill, thereby securing one key objective.

The MiGs were flown by East German pilots and it's believed that the Communist forces experienced problems co-ordinating  air support with their ground troops.



Left: Angolan T-55s are brewed up by South African armour. The South African Olifants destroyed two thirds of the Angolan tanks but were surprised when the Communists kept closing the range and knocked out several Olifants.

The Angolan armoured troops were commanded by a cadre of Cuban officers and NCOs.





Below: South African troops have succeeded in consolidating on another of the low hills south of the lateral road. The Angolans have advanced in their BTR 60s into the woods at the foot of the slope and have disembarked their infantry but cannot cross the open ground dominated by the South African machine guns and RPGs.

The game ended with a clear South African victory as they held two of the three objectives. The Angolans successfully stormed the village north of the lateral road with two inexperienced units of infantry and managed to inflict some casualties on the SADF troops. The hill north of the village was also taken by the Angolans and with some firm leadership from the Cuban advisors they stayed put and dug in.

Both sides launched abortive airstikes and artillery support was notable for it's ineffectiveness.

A good fun game of AK 47 Reloaded that could have gone either way. The effectiveness of the South African armour was a nasty shock to the Angolans but the determination with which relatively raw Angolan troops maintained their attack into the village gave the South Africans something to think about.

Cuban and South Africans Clash in Angola

The Guardian 18 March 1979

Associated Press: Luanda

Reports of heavy fighting along the Angolan-South West African Border have been confirmed by the communist MPLA government here in Luanda.

According to government sources, South African troops crossed the border into Angola three nights ago and were met by a swift response from the Angolan Army. The fighting including tank battles near the town of N'giva.

There are unconfirmed reports of airstrikes by Cuban and East German piloted Migs in support of the Angolan troops. The Angolan army is trained and advised by Cuban soldiers.

The fighting represents the biggest escalation of the tension between South Africa and Angola in the area since the apartheid regime's raid on a SWAPO guerilla base in the southern Angolan town of Cassinga last year.

15 March 1979: South of Ngiva

Captain Pieter Van der Horst's radio crackled:




'Enemy now within 3 kilometres of your position, mixed tanks and APCs, infantry dismounted'

Van der Horst looked at his radio operator, his eyebrows raised...there wasn't supposed to be any enemy armour in the area...

'Alpha One, this is Sierra Six, hostiles at location 485674, prepare for contact, shoot on my command, over'

'Roger Sierra Six, over'



Elements of the South African 62 Mechanised Battalion, supported by tanks from the School of Armour, are about to engage the the Angolan 11th Mechanised Brigade some 15 km inside Angola. The SADF forces crossed the border late last night, launching Operation Crossbow, the second major 'external' of the border war to date. Their objective was to disrupt SWAPO actvity in the border region, now they have encountered Angolan regular forces.

Our alternative timeline of the war in Angola is about to re-start. The guerilla war between SWAPO and the SADF and their South West African Territorial Force allies has been gradually escalating. The South Africans launched their first major incursion into Angola last year with an airborne assault on SWAPO at Cassinga. This was a military success but the political consequences have not been as favourable to South Africa - western public opinion is even more negative towards the Apartheid regime and Cuba and the Soviet Union have increased their support to the Angolan government.

Alerted by SWAPO forces on the border, Cuban and East German pilots flew reconnaissance missions at first light and have detected the SADF columns. Angolan forces and their Cuban advisors have moved swiftly to meet the incursion.

In other words, a game of AK 47 is scheduled for tomorrow evening...